The Christ Pursuit
Are you in for another adventure?
Do you want to discover and explore more?
Do you have the the courage to go beyond and know more about the ultimate life's quest and pursuit?
If your answer is YES to all of these, then join us and be part of the SFC "Christ Pursuit" Regional Conference 09.
Theme: The CHRIST PURSUIT from Phil 3:12
Date: September 4-6, 2009
Venue: Dumaguete City (Specific Venue to follow)
Registration fee is Php 650.00 on or before August 24, 2009. After this date, it will be Php 700.00. Deadline of registration is September 1, 2009. Registration is inclusive if IDs and Kits, meals and accommodation.
Other details of the event will follow in the succeeding memo.
Don't be left behind in this quest! Together let us pursue Christ as He pursues us.
2009 Regional Conference
How God Builds Your Faith: Delay by Rick Warren
Even as you make a decision to follow the dream God places in your heart, you can expect a delay. God will not fulfill your dream immediately because this is another step toward building your faith.
In Habakkuk 2, God says, "These things I plan won't happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled."
In this step of faith-building you will most likely start asking the question, "When, Lord? When are You going to answer my prayer?"
And we hate to wait. We don't like to wait in a doctor's office, or in traffic jams, or at restaurants, or for Christmas presents, or for anything else. But what we hate worst of all is waiting on God.
Have you ever been in a hurry when God wasn't? It's so irritating! You're ready, but God isn't. God wants to work on you before He works on the project. Every believer must go through the University of Learning to Wait (ULW). Some of us are still working on our degrees from ULW!
• Noah waited 120 years from the time he started building the ark until it began to rain.
• Abraham was told he would be the father of a great nation and didn't have a child until he was 99.
• God told Moses he would be the leader to lead his people out of 400 years of slavery, but then made him wait in the desert 40 years.
• Joseph spent years in prison before God raised him up and he became the ruler God wanted him to be.
• God had David anointed as king, but then David waited for years until he actually got to be king.
We all have to go through these waiting periods. Even Jesus waited for 30 years in the carpenter's shop before setting out on his public ministry.
Why do we wait? It teaches us to trust in God. We learn that His timing is perfect. One of the facts we have to learn is this: God's delay never destroys His purpose.
A delay is not a denial. Children must learn the difference between "no" and "not yet," and so must we. Many times we think God is saying, "No," but He is saying, "Not yet."
The Devil and the Duck
There was a little boy visiting his grandparents on their farm. He was given a slingshot to play with out in the woods. He practiced in the woods; but he could never hit the target. Getting a little discouraged, he headed back for dinner.
As he was walking back he saw Grandma's pet duck. Just out of impulse, he let the slingshot fly, hit the duck square in the head and killed it. He was shocked and grieved!
In a panic, he hid the dead duck in the wood pile; only to see his sister watching! Sally had seen it all, but she said nothing.
After lunch the next day grandma said, 'Sally, let's wash the dishes!' But Sally said, 'Grandma, Johnny told me he wanted to help in the kitchen.!' Then she whispered to him, "Remember the duck?' So Johnny did the dishes.
Later that day, Grandpa asked if the children wanted to go fishing and Grandma said, 'I'm sorry but I need Sally to help make supper.' Sally just smiled and said, 'well that's all right because Johnny told me he wanted to help.’ She whispered again, 'Remember the duck?' So Sally went fishing and Johnny stayed to help.
After several days of Johnny doing both his chores and Sally's; he finally couldn't stand it any longer. He came to Grandma and confessed that he had killed the duck. Grandma knelt down, gave him a hug and said, 'Sweetheart, I know. You see, I was standing at the window and I saw the whole thing, but because I love you, I forgave you. I was just wondering how long you would let Sally make a slave of you.'
Thought for the day and every day thereafter:
Whatever is in your past, whatever you have done... And the devil keeps throwing it up in your face (lying, cheating, debt, fear, bad habits, hatred, anger, bitterness, etc...)...whatever it is...You need to know that:
He has seen your whole life... He wants you to know that He loves you and that you are forgiven He's just wondering how long you will let the devil make a slave of you..
The great thing about God is that when you ask for forgiveness;
He not only forgives you, but He forgets.
It is by God's grace and mercy that we are saved.
Go ahead and make the difference in someone's life today.
Share this story with a friend and always remember:
God is at the window!
When Jesus died on the cross; he was thinking of you!
God Bless!
